Flying cutting device



All@ W E943 K, w. HALLDEN 2,327,106

FLYING CUTTING DEVICE Filed sept. 12, 1942 5 sheets-sheet 1 Aug WQ 1943 K. W. HALLDEN 2,327,106

FLYING CUTTING -DEVIGE Filed Sept. 12, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 l? f VW.

Aug W 1943 K. W. HALLDEN 2 I 2,3279l06 FLYING CUTTING DE'VICE Filed Sept. l2, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ILL@ Aug., W1,

W43 K. w. HALLDEN FLYING CUTTING DEVICE Filed Sept. l2, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Aug. 17, 1943. K. W. HALLDl-:N

FLYING CUTTING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. l2, 1942 w M W j Z i 1 Z q s m nl au film 3 B w n b! a I/ afm f/l 1. w 1J 7 /k w A Z w y A V d/ Ar \/M l Patented Aug. 17, 1943 UNITED yS'IAI'IIS PATENT OFFICE L '2,327,106' I Y FLYING CUTTING DEVICE Karl Hallden, Thomastcn, Conn. Applicationieptember 12, v1942, Serial No. 458,073 c claims. (o1. wig-49) This invention relatesfto improvements .in iiying cutting devices in which stock, for example,

sheet metal, is continuously fed byfeed-means t cutter-means which cuts the stock into lengths without stopping the feed of the stock.

generic in their application as the prior art will permit.

In the accompanying drawings, in which certain ways of carrying out the invention-.are shown for illustrative purposes:

e Fig.,1is a schematic plan View illustrating one way of `carrying out the invention; y

Fig. 2 is a fragmental Vfront elevation partly in section of one form of cutter-means vwhich is employed in connection with illustrating" the present'invention; Y

Fig. 3 is a left side elevation of Fig. 2 with the bearing portions of -themachine omitted;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view online 4 4 `of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is Va fragmental plan view of a modiiied form 'of the invention; I v

Fig. 6 is a schematic plan View similar to Fig. 1 of a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 7 is a schematic plan view similar to Fig. 6 of still another nfiodiiied'form ofthe invention Fig. 8 is a fragmental plan view .cf still another modiediorm of the invention; and

Fig. 9 is a sectional view on line 9-3 vof Fig.8.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive of the -drawings, which illustrate one form of the invention, the ilying cuttingdevice illustrated, includes a cutter-unit or -means Il] which in the particular form illustrated is a form of flying-Shear known as a guillotine ying-shear, and feedmeans in the form of feed-rolls il. Y The cutin opposite directions in a usual manner.

ting-means Illandfeed-meansl I`` are driven by Y Vunit I3, a` differential-gear unit I4, a'change- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

ygea-r or step-gear unit l5, and a'miscut-unit I5. The miscut-unit YI3 performs additional functions beside accomplishing miscutting,`but the rterm miscut is vused'ior convenience and simplicity. p

The Vdetails and modes'of action of the units I 3, I4 and I5 are more fully described in m previously -granted Patents Nos. 2,144,307; 2,144,308 and 2,231,581, and will therefore only bevdescribed'in suiicient detail in the present application to facilitate an understanding of the present'invention. l

The shaft I1 driven from Ythe drive-motor l2 through pulley I8, belt I9 and pulley 2B, has secured thereto a pinion 2l in driving relation with a gear L22 securedto a shaft23. l Shaft 23 drives the input-shaftl 24 of the iniinitesimallyadjustable speed-ratio unit I3 vthrough the pair of bevel gears 25, shaft 25; anda :pair of spur gear 28 secured thereto whiclrmeshesv with two bevel sun-gears 29 pivoted at 33 to the diiferential'housing 3|,l the gears Zillalso meshing with a bevel vgear 32 secured to a differential outputshaft 33 which, through suitable gearing 34, drives one of the feed-rolls Il, the Vtwo feed-rolls being `geared together to rotate at equal speeds The diiferential-'gear unit M comprises the 'diiierential gears 28, 2B and 32 and the dierential housing 35-V A worm gear 35 is secured to theV differential housing SI and meshes with a worm 36 secured to the output-'shaft 3l of the innitesimally-adjustable speed-ratio unit I3. The unit I3 has a special sprocket chain 3f! in driving relationbetween two pairs of conical sprocket wheels 39 and 40, the Wheels of each pair of sprocket wheels being adjustable toward and from one another by suitable means (not shown), the particular unit I3 shown being a commercial device known as the P. I. V. made `by the Link-Belt Company of Most of the power transmitted from the shaft il to the feed-rolls Il'is transmitted through the diierential-unit I4, only a minor portion 'of the power passing through the unit I3, whichv unit I3 can be set to give', through the worm 36 and worm" gear 35,

housing 3| within the range provided by the in- 4iinitesimal adjustability of the unit I3, to thus a'ctl as a control or governor for the differentialunit I4 to give any desired speed to the feedr'olls II.. Y l

` The shaft 3 :is also adapted to drive a shaft 4! through any pair of the four pairs of selectively-engageable change-gears or step-gears 42, 43, and 45. by suitable actuation of one cr the other of the splined clutch-members i5 or i? io connect one of the gears 42, 45, 44, l5

on the shaft il which are freely rotatable thereon, with one of the gears 42, 43, M, 45 on the shaft il which are keyed thereon, in a way that is well known, The shaft 4| drives the main cutter drive-shaft 48 b 1 means of the gears 4S and 50. And the main cutter drive-shaft 423 drives the complemental cutter drive-shaft 5i through any pair of the pairs of gears 52, 53; 55, 55; and fully explained hereinafter. y

The main cutter drive-shaft 48 drives the shear-frame 53 and the upper cutter 59 secured thereto, by means of the eccentrics` 60, and they drive-shaft 5| drives the gate 6| and the lower` cutter S2 secured thereto, in sliding relation to the shear-frame 53, by means of the pair of lgears 63, and sleeve 54 havingeccentrics E5, all

in a manner more fully set forth in my Patent No. 2,144,308, granted January V17, 1939. The synchronizing mechanism 65 will not be described herein as a description of it is not necessary to an understanding of the present invention, Vbut this synchronizing mechanism` is also fully explained in my said Patent No. 2,144,308.

. The pairs of changergears or step-gears 42, 43, 44 and 45 provide means whereby the-speed of rotation of the cutter-shaft 48 can be'varied in steps to thusy correspondingly vary the length of cut being made from the sto-ck vfed Vtherethrough by the feed-rolls H; and the innitesimally-adjustable speed-ratio unit .i3 in conjunction with the differential-gear unit I4 providesinnitesimally-adjustable means whereby the feed-rolls can have their speed varied by ininitesimal gradations covering the gaps between the pairs of step-gears 42, 43, 44 and 45. Thus, the step-bystep adjustment of the cutter-means i5 and the infinitesimal adjustment of the'feed-means Il, together provide for complete infinitesimal adjustment of the speed-ratios between the cuttermeans l and the `feed-means l overthewhole range of the step-gears. The electric motor l2 is preferably one whose speed can be readily adjusted so that, whenv the speed of feed of the feed-rolls is lowered by an adjustment of unit I3 below a desired speed of output of cut stock, the speed of Vthe motor l2 can be adjusted to a higher speed so as to hold the speed of output substantially constant at all times, if so desired.

In the misent-unit I6, the gears 52 and 56 are f vkeyed to the shaft 48 andthe clutch-gear 54 is freely rotatable and slidable on the shaft 48 so .as to be shiftable intoand outJ of clutching engagement with the gear 52. YThe gears'53 and 51 are freely rotatable on the shaft and the clutchn gear 54 is splined to the shaft 5| sov as to be 4shiftable into and out of clutching engagement with either of gears 53 or 51. When stock is to be cut into lengths anywhere Vin the range from the shortest length possible upto the longest length that can be cui, when the complemental cutters 59 and 62 cut at each Vrevolution of the shaft 48, the gears 52 and 53 form the drive between the wshafts A48 and 5|, this being accomplished by having the clutch-gear 55 slid to the vright to."

bring its vclutch-teeth in clutching engagement with the clutch-teeth of the gear 53, the gears 52 and 53 having a onze-to-cne speedratio andthe two gears 63 also having a one-to-one Aspeed ratio. Vhen arlengthcf cut is required which is 55, 5l in a way that will be more' beyond the capacity of the machine when the Y gears 52 and 53 form the drive for the shaft 5|,

then the pair of gears 56 and 51 which have a speedratio of two-to-one, are brought into action by shifting the clutch-gear to the left to bring its clutch-teeth into engagement with the clutchteeth of the gear 51, With the result that the lower cutter 62 will only be brought up into cutting position with the upper cutter 59 at every other revolution or rotation of the shaft 48, that is, at every other time that the upper cutter 59 moves into cutting position, with the result that what is known as a miscut is accomplished. In other words, as the stock is traveling through the vcutter-means I0 from the feed-rolls in the direction of the arrow 61, the stock will be cut at one time of rotation of the shaft 48 when the upper cutter 59arrives down at its cutting position shown inFig. 3 and when the lower cutter. 62 also arrives at its cutting position shown at 62a in broken lines in Fig. 3, and on the next rotation of the shaft 48Vwhen the upper cutter 59 arrives down at its cuttingposition, the lower cutter 62 will have varrived only at its lower or most distant position Vfrom the cutter 59 so that there is no cutting action at this time, the stock merely continuing to befed through the machine until another rotation of the shaft 48 has taken place, whereupon, when the upper knife 59 again ar- Vvrives down in its cutting position, the lower knife 62 also arrives up in its cutting position to cut the stock, and Vthis mode of action continues as long as the gears 56 and 51 constitute the drive between the shafts 43 and 5|. A

When a length of cut is required which is still longer than can be obtained with the gears 56 vand 51 forming the drive between shafts 4B and 5I, then the clutch-gear 55 is slid out to its neutral position shown in Fig. 1, and the clutch-gear 54 is Vslid to the-right to clutch it to the gear 52 which thereupon. causes the'gears 54 and 55 to form the drive between the shafts 48 and 5|, and inasmuch as these gears have a speed ratio of three-to-two, after each cut by the cutters 59 and 62 there are two miscuts while the stock continues to be fed, after which thecutters 59 and 62 again cut stock, and so on. Miscutting is more fully explained in my previously referred to Patent No. 2,144,308.

When a still longer length of cut than can be accomplished by vthe miscut gears 54 and 55, is

required, this can be accomplished by'what will be hereinafter called a no-cut. While" the nocut arrangement and the miscut arrangement could all be included under theterm miscut, it is considered that theunderstanding of the invention' will'be clearer if the term miscut is limited to referring to where both cutters are traveling, but -at such different speeds that periodically only one of the cutters arrives in cutting position, the'other cutter having a speed of travel such that at that particular time it is somewhere other than at proper cutting position, so as to produce what is called a miscut, whereas the term no-cu aswill presently be better understood, will be used to refer to that result which occurs when one of the cutters continuously travels and periodically arrives at the proper cutting position, but the other cutter has been disengaged from driving relation so that it is not being driven at the time that the other cutter arrives at the position of cut, so that the undriven cutter is simply quiescent-and out of cutting position so that this is called for convenience and simplicity a fno-cut in order toV distinguish it from miscut. V

In order to accomplish no-cutting, thegear 51 of the unit I6 is unclutched from the clutch gear 55 and freely rotatable on the shaft 5| in the position of the parts shown in Fig; 1, so that the shaft is not being driven from the shaft 48. In order 'to accomplish the no-cutting, a 'certain automatic mechanism which will be hereinafter described, forms a part ofthe means for periodically shifting a singlelug dog-clutch 68 which is splined to the shaft 5|, to bring its single clutchlug E9 into position to engage the -singleclutchlug 10 of the gear 51 which thus causes the gear 56to drive the shaft 5| through the gear 51 as long as the dogs 69 and 10 are in clutched .position. When the clutch 68 is again slid to the left t0 its position shown'in Fig. 1, theclutch-lugs 69 and 10 will be disengaged whereupon the shaft 5| ceases to rotate and the gate 6| and its cutter 62 come to rest in their lowermost position as shown in solid lines in Figs. 2 and 3, and this condition may continue for any desired number of revolutions of the shaft 48 with the result that at each revolution of the shaft 48 VWhile the shaft 5| is not rotating, there will be ano-cut. Thus. it Will be seen that by providingv suitable means to automatically hold the dog-clutch 68 out of clutching position a properly timed length of time, any desired number'of-no-cutsV canrbe accomplished, and, of course, every time thataY nocut occurs, inasmuch as the stock .is continuously being fed, that means that When a cut is again made by the dog-clutch 68 being again shifted to the right into clutching position to bring about aout, the length of the piece 0f stock out will depend on the number of no-cuts. u

The no-cut action is accomplished by means of a lever 1| pivoted 4at 12 at any suitable location on the machine'and having its forked end 13 engaging in the annular slot Y14 of the clutch 68so that when the other end. pivoted at 15 to the rod 16 is actuated tothe left by the rod 16, the clutch 68 will be moved to clutching position, and when the rod 16 is moved to the right to the position shown in Fig. 1, the clutch 68 will be moved to unclutched position. f

The automatic mechanism for shifting the clutch 68 can be of any Vsuitable type. The particular type schematically illustrated includes a piston 11 secured to one end of the rod 16 and mounted to'be slidable back and forth in acylinder 18 adapted to have fluid such, for example, as air under pressure brought to one, side or the other of the piston by suitably controlled mechanism, to clutch or unolutch the clutch 68 Vas desired, by any suitable form of valve-mechanism 19. In the particular construction illustrated, a spring 80 holds the magnetic core 8| of the' solenoid 82 pushedto the left in the position illustrated when no current is flowing through the coil 83 of the solenoid from the Wires 84. With theparts of theVvalve-mechanism 19 in the positions in Which they are held bythe spring 80 as shown, air under pressure enters the inletpipe 85 and passes through the pipe 86 into the left end of thel cylinder 18 to force the piston 11 to the right end Yof the cylinder as shown, while at the same time permitting exhaust'air to pass out ofthe vpipe 81 from the right end of the cylinder. through the coil 83 of the solenoid82 by means Whenrelectricl current is sent of the Wires 84, as will be more Afully hereinafter the spring to .cause air pressure to pass from inlet pipe 8,5 through the pipe 81 to behind the one or the other of its unclutched and clutched Y positions under air pressure in the cylinder 18.

'I'he electric-switch mechanism for` controlling the times of actuation of the clutch 68 to clutched and unclutched positions, will now be described. Two switch-cams 88 and 89 are rigidly mounted on a switch-cam shaft 90 which .is` selectively Vdrivable through one of the other of the gears 9| and 92 rigidly secured on the shaft 90, from a shifter-gear shaft 93 :having a shifter-.gear 94 splined thereto for longitudinal sliding movement, the shifter-gear 94 selectively driving one or the other of the gears 9|, 92 through the-shifter-gear 95 which is pivotally carried bya shifterarm 96 Well known to those skilled in the ine-' chanical arts, which is pivoted for swinging movement about the axis of the shaft 93, so that Y by proper swinging movement of the shifterarm 96 to take the shifter-gear 95 out from errgagement with the Vgear 9| or 92V With which it is engaged,` to slide the group of parts 94, 35 and 96 along the shaftV 93 and then swing the shifterarm 96 to bring the shifter-gear95 into engagement with the other of the gears 9| and 82,' in a Way that is well understood to those-skilled .in the art, it will be understood that one or the other of the gears 9|, 02 can be brought into driving engagement with the gear '94 on the shaft93. f" Y. Y

`The shaft 83 has a sprocket or sprocket-Wheel 91 having its hub 98 rotatably mounted on the shaft 93 and clutchable `to or unclutchable from driving relationvvith the shaft 93 by means of a cone friction-clutch member 99 screw-thread.- edly mounted on vone end of the shaft 93 so as to beengageable with a corresponding internal cone-face on the hub 980i the sprocket 31. The sprocket; 91 is driven through a chain E00 from a. sprocket |0| rigidly mounted on the shaft 48. A disk .|02 rigidly secured to the gear 50 has a mark (not shown), thereon tolregister with the pointer |03 to indicate When-.the upper cutter 59 is ydown in cutting position. Y

A disk |94 is rigidly secured on the switchcam shaft 90 and has a` mark (not shown) which registers with theH pointer when the shaft 90 is in such position that the marks |06 and |01 of the cams 88 and 89 are respectively Aimmediately directly vbeneath the contacting arms or portions |08 and |09 respectively of the limitswitches ||0 and |||.'A With the machine having been actuated to bring the upper cutter 50 down to cutting position as shown in Figs. 2 and` 3, in a Well known to those skilled inthe art, and therefore with the `mark (not shown) :n the disk |02 in registration'with the pointer |03, the coneclutch member 99 is unscrewed to unclutched position, and the shaft is rotated by the handknob ||2 thereon to bring the mark (notshown) `on the disk |04 in registration With the pointer |05 to thus bring the inarkl directly beneath or in registration Withthe part |08 of the switch ||0, as shown in Fig. 1, whereupon the coneclutch member 99 is moved to clutched position again. Withthe parts as illustrated in Fig. l, the switch-cam shaft 90 will rotate at one-fourth the speedof the shaft 48 and at one-half the speed fof the shatSI, since-the speed 'ratio df cthesprocket-s IDIandETI is two-"to-one, and the speed 4ratio of the gears', S4 and TBL-is also twofte-one. -In fthe construction `as illustrated 'in Figs. l to 4, the clutch-engagingface of the 'clutch-'dog 18 is vertically upward inthe position rshown in Figs. 1 'and '4 when'fthe upper cutter 1591is fdo'wn Ain proper cutting position, vand since fthe r`gear A57 rotates atene-:half the speed lof the gear '56, the cutter 58 will be in proper vcutting position also when the engaging-face'. of fthe clutch-'dog 'I0 is in its lowermost position or one- .half revolution 'from that shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

.it will now beassumed that theA parts are `rin the positions described and illustrated Ain Fig; 1.

if now the switch-arm II'3 of the selector-switch II I4 is'move'd from itsfoi position as-shown, into engagement with the contact H5"the electric circuit will be closedffrom' the power wires HB,

through the limit-switch IIS, through the relay I'II whichcloses the switch IIB to thus close the circuit through the wires E4 and the coil 83 of the solenoid `82 to thus cause the piston 'I'I to shift the clutch `68 from its Iunclutcheol position `shown in Fig. 1, to its clutched position. Y

If the` electric power is now Ysupplied to th electric motor I2 to start the machine in operation, before the clutch-dog It 'has rotated enough tto engage ythe clutch-dog B9, the oarn't will Vhave rotated far enough to cause the'switch contact-arm IBB to spring` down off the'cam highportion II9 onto the camylow-portion 12B and thus open the switch II!! and break the circuit to the solenoid 82, thus Vpermitting 'the spring 8D tol cause thepiston TI to shift the clutch 5S to unclutched position. This Vparticular clutching and unclutching movement of -the clutch 68 is -of no significance `in the operation or the vmachin'e, but since it occurs, it has been described to avoid possible misunderstanding.

' As the machine continues its operation, the lug IB of the gear 51 willnnally complete one rotation and arrive vback in the position where it is shown in Fig. 1, but inasmuch as the lug "IS :did not engage the clutch-lug 69, the lower cuti iter will not have been raised to cutting position 4and therefore a no-cut'will occur at this posi tion when the lug 'HEB has arrived back at its top position shown in Fig. 1. But in the meantime,

vsince the cam-shaft SD rotates at half the speed of the shaft 5I and gear 5l, sometirnebeiore the lug l0 has rotated far enough to engage the Ilug 69,1the cam-portion I2! will have engaged the switch-arm ISS to raise -it onto the high-portion -II 9 of the cam '38 to close the switch Ii@ and thus cause the` clutch and its lug 69 to be moved into clutching position, so that the lug I0 will engage the lug E9 and cause the gate 6| and the lower cutter 62 to be raised into cutting position when the lug IFB again reaches its upper position shown in Fig. 1, to thus cut stock, since Vthe upper cutter 5Fl will also have arrived down at its cutting position at the time that the cutter 62 'arrived up at its cutting position, thisgcutting action occurring when the indicator marked I D5 of the cam 88 has again arrived back at its position shown'in 1. Now, as the machine continues to operate, the switch-armm8 passes down from the high-portion H9 to 'the lowportion of the cam 88, thus breaking the cire cuit through the switch IIB and causing the clutch 68 and its lug 69 to move to unclutched position. Regardless of the position of the lug 69 at the time of unclutching, vthe weight of the gate 6I and its associated parts, by moving to their lowermost position, 'will .cause the lug y69 to move to the position shown l'in Fig. 1. And when the shaft `t8 has rotated one complete rev- 'olution to vagain bring the upper cutter 59 down 'to cutting position, the gear v5'I will have only movedhalf a revolution 'and the cam '88 will have moved only one-quarter a'revolution, so that since the lower cutter will not be brought to cutting position with @the cutte1v59, a no-cut will occur at this time, and when the shaft 48 makes another rotation -to again bring the cutter 53 down to its cutting position, the cam 88 will have connoleted only half a revolution from the Vposition shownin Fig. -1,so that again -a no-cut will -occur at the time the lug III has arrived back at -its topmost position shown in Fig. l, and when the shaft G3 has made still another revolution to again bring its cutter 59 down into cutting position, the cam 83 will have closed the circuit 'through'the 'switch IIU to shift the clutch-v 68 and its lug 69 to clutching position in time to be engaged by theglug 'I0 when it reaches the bottom of itsrotation, but inasmuch as the iupper cutter 59 has reached its cutting position at the time that the lug 'I6 reached its bottom position, and before the lugs 'ID and B9 have had time to lift the lower Acutter 52 to cutting position, a third no-'cut will occur vat this time. But now as the lugv'i moves from its lower position vto its upper position shownV in Fig. 1 while in clutching engagement with the lug S9, the gate Gland lower cutter 62 will be raised to arrive at cutting position 'at the same time that the upper cutter 59 arrives down at cutting position vat its next rotation. Thus, it will be seen that by employment of the gear 9| and Cain-88 and associated parts, the cutters 59 and 62 make three successive noouts for veach cut that is made by them, thus accomplishing vva longer length of out than could be accomplished 'by Vutilizing the miscut gears ofthe unit Iii.' This cycle of operations of one cut to three no-cuts is repeated as long as the described mechanism is permittedv to continue to operate. If instead of leaving the switch-arm H3 on the contact H5, it be engaged with the Y Contact I22,if the shifter-gear mechanism 94, 95, and 9S be shifted to bri-ng the gears 94 and `95 into driving relation with the gear 82 which is twice the diameter of the vgear BI, then instead of there being three no-cuts between each two "cuts, there will be` seven no-cuts Vbetween each two cuts, since the shaft 90 is now driven at oneei'ghth of the speed of the shaft I48.

YWithl allvof thepartsof the machine in the positions illustrated in Fig. 1, assume the clutch- -gear to be shifted t0 the right tocause the gears 52v and 53 to bring the shafts 48 and 5I into a one-to-one speed `ratio 1driving engagement -with `one another. forms of the'invention illustrated in the drawings, itis desired to cut any vdesired length from thirty -up to four hundred and twenty inches (thirty-iive feet). and assume that in the form ofmachine illustrated in Fig. 1, with the gears 52 and-i3y acting as driving-means between the shafts 4B and 5I, andby making all of the pos- Assume that with theY into engagement with gear v51 to 'cause the 'gears 56 and 51 to constitute the drive between the shafts 48' and 5| atj a speed ratio of two-to-one instead of the one-to-one ratio just previously described, and by making all the possible adjustments for length of cut of the units I3 and I5,`and with the shaft 5|' and the lower cutter B2 moving at half the speed of the shaft IS-and the upper cutter 59, a miscutwill occur at eachv alternate revolution or the shaft 48 inasmuch as the lower cutter B2 will only arrive in cutting position at'each alternate time that the upper .cutter 59 arrives at cutting position. Therefore' since the stock continues to be fed throughthe machine while the miscut occurs, double lengths of cut canfnowbe accomplished irornfsi'xty"to*V one hundred and twenty inches. If now it be desired toecut a longerA length, the clutch-gear 55 is moved to its intermediate position as shown in Fig. 1, and the Clutch-gear 54 is shifted to the' right vinto clutching engagement with the'gear 52 so that the gears54 and 55 constitute" the drive between the shafts 48 and 5|, andrsince the' speed ratio of the shafts 48 and 5| will now be three-to-two, the cutters f 59 and B2 willuboth arrive in cutting position only once in every three revolutions so that two miscuts will occur to every cut, and thus it will be seen that itis now possible by this in 'conjunction with the adjustments of the units I3 and I5 to cuttriple lengths from ninetyV to one hundred and eighty inches. If now it Vbe desired to cut still longer lengths, the clutch-gear 54 is shifted to its neutral position, so that both clutch-gears 54 and 55 are in the neutral positions7illustrated`in Fig, l,'and the' selector switch-arm |I3 is moved. onto contact |l5 of the Vselector-switch IUI, so that with the gears S4 and 9| constituting the drive between the Vshafts 93 and 9U, the clutch 68 is moved to bring the dogs 69 and 'I0 into clutching operation to cause a cut, and then the clutch 68 is kept out of clutching vposition by the cam 88 and switch I II] and associated parts for three following times that the upper cutter arrives in-cutting position,

during which'time the cutter 62 remains quiescent at its bottommost position to causethree no-cuts, and then the-cam 88 again closes switch I It to again move the' clutch into clutching position t0 bring about the next cut. Thus, it will be seen that by means`of` thecam' andthe parts as just described, three no-cutswill be ac- 5 V Since any length of cutv from thirty to sixty inches `can be accomplished solely by adjustment of the units I3 and I5, and since the rio-cutting apparatus when employing the cani 28 and assooiated parts causes three no-Cuts to each cut,

any length of cut from one hundred and twenty inchesto two hundred and i'orty inches can be accomplished by the ico-cutting apparatus when employing the cam 88, and therefore it is not necessaryto use gears 54 and 55 to accomplish the'two miscuts to every cut, it being possible to completely eliminate these gears. Such a construction has been illustrated in Fig. 5 wherein the gearii has been omitted and ih place or' the gear 55 isjsiiown a clutch 55a selectively shiltable into engagement with either of gears 53 and 5l.

Inthe modied form oi' the invention illustratedin Fig. o', the various parts are the same as illustrated in the case of the form oi'` the invention illustrated in Figi except as concerns the misent-unit a, and the automatic electric switch-mechanism as will presently be set Iorth.

. In the miscut-unit loa, the'paii" oi gears |23 and l unit Ica in therpositons they are shown in Fig.'

complished to reachcut made by themachine,

thus making it possible to cut quadruple lengths fromone hundred and twenty to two hundredA and forty inches.

By now bringingthe gears 94 and 92 into driving relation between the shafts 93 and 90 and moving the switch-arm |'|3 tothe Contact |22, the cam 90 and switch-||| and associated partsl itrwill be seen that with the constructionie-l scribed, it is possible to cut any length whatever from a length of thirty inches up to a 'length o'f )four hundred and eighty inches which is more than the assumed neededmaximum of four hundred andv twenty inches. And, ofcourse, by pro-V viding additional camsan'd associated parts, still'A A 75- longer lengths of cut can beaccomplished.v

|24 are adapted to give the snaits 48 and 5| a one-to-one speedrratio so as to produce a cut at each rotation oi the shaft 48. '.Lhe pair or gears |25 and |25 are adapted to give the shafts 46s and Y 5| a speed ratio oi' two-to-three to thus accomplish -one miscut in each two revolutions oi the shaft 48, and the pair oi' clutch-gears |21 and |25 are adapted to give the sriai'ts 46 and 5| a speed ratio of three-to-iour so `as to accomplish two miscuts in each three revolutions of the shaft 45. When still longer lengths Aoli cut than can be accomplished by means of the misent-unit Iiia are desired, then with the parts oi' theV miscut- I the clutch et' is brought into action to clutch and vunclutch the single lugs sie and iu to accomplish v,no-cutting in a manner similar to that which has ,been previously described in connection with the Iorm of the invention illustrated in Fig. l. v

Thus, with the gears Sia, Se and in driving relation as shown in Fig. 6, and with the switcharm H30. oi' the selector-switch iia moved into engagement with the contact Hita, the switch v'Hint activated by the switch-cami-a which latter with the shaft 55a rotates at one-fourth thespeed oi'Y each 'ci the shaits it and 5i, vwill accomplish three rio-cuts outY oi' every i'our times that the upper cutter 5s arrives at'cutting position, to thus cut a longerlength of stock than can y be cut by means oiA trie mischt-unit Vlea. only.

And by smit-ing the shifter-gears s4 and into'` engagement with the gear |25, which is onev and three-Iourths the diameter oi the gear lila, 'and shifting tile switch-arm lita into engagement With the contact |3 to activate the carri I'Si and the switch isi, six no-.cuts out oi` each seven rotations oi'ftne sllait l5 will be accomplished. The construction of Fig. 6 will out any length from thirty to fourV hundred and twenty inches.

vIhasmuc'n as the gears |23 and. im which are employed in connection with accomplishing nocutting, have a ohe-to-one speed ratio, it is possible to ,cut any desired length oi" cut from thirty inches up without .employing any mischt-gears such as |25, |26, |27 and |28, if enough vswitchcams and associated parts are employed to accomplishno-cuts to take the place of the corresponding miscuts that wouldordinarily be accomplished byjthe rniscut-gears. Such a modiedconstruchonor Figc has been illustrated in Fig. '1 withv the complete omission of all misent-gears, merely having thepa'iro'f gears I23` and `12.4"hanlirif'g a one-'to-one speed ratio. Inasmuch as the -geav'r |24 isy freely rotatable'on the'shaft 5I, since the splined c1utch`gear`|28 has `loeen eliminated, 'the clutch G8 is employed'toV accomplishall cutting. Thus, when the gears IES'and E24 are to be .ern-V ployed to accomplish a cut at every rotationcf the shaft fit, the switch-arm I E35 of the selectors'witch |I4b` isniovedinto engagementivvith Contact' |33 which closes the circuit to the 'solcnoidv 82 wthout'having to pass through any of the cam-operated switches, to thus hold ltheY clutch 6 8 to theright in clutching position to thusconnect the gear |24 in driving engagement with the shaft to continuously accomplish a cut at every revolution of the'shaftll.

If it is desired to accomplish one nofcut at each alternate revolution of shaft 43, this is accomf plished by shifting the switcharm I|3b into engagement with the Contact |34 and having the shifter-gears 9d andi in driving engagement with'the gear 135 on the shaft Stb asshown, whereupon the (cam |36 is driven at onefhali the speed of each ofthe shafts 48 andSI, and by closing the circuit through switch |3'! holds the clutch S8 out of clutching engagement with the gear' |24 during at least that part of each alternate revolutiori'of Vthe shafts 4 8v and 5I when the cutter 59 arrives -at cutting position, to acconig plish one rio-cut out of each two revolutions of the shafts d'and 5I. v v `And similarly, by' shifting the shifter-gears $4 and 95 into engagement with one or another of the gears |38, Sib, |39, and shifting the switchf arm I Ibin'to engagement with a corresponding one of the contacts |463, I'Ib, I4I to activate a correspondingon'e Of the cams |42, 33h, 143 andy a'corresponding one of the switches |44, I I 011, |45, two' or'threel or four or six noc'uts can be accomplished out of every three'or 'four or ive orseven rotations,l respectively, Vof the shaft 48. And, by providing'additional gears, switch-cams andre-4 lated parts; any desired number of rio-'cuts could loe accomplished.,` The'construction of Figi. 7 will cut' any length frornthirty'to four hundred and twenty inches;

Inthe form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, the gears |46 and |41 are la pair of eccentric gears "having an average speed ratio` of onetoone,' which' could loe vsubstituted yin i place of the gears|23'andi24'iri 'the constructions iliustrated'in Figs. 6 and rI. The rotational position'shown in Figs. 8 and Q of the gears |46 and |47, as concerns the position of cut, corresponds to the'rotational 'position' of .the gears' 12s and |24 in Figs. 6 and 7,'but'ina s'' much as the teeth on the upper portion of'the gear I 41 in Figs. 8 and 9 make it inconvenient" to have the lug 70a in a corresponding position tothe lug 'I on the'gear |24 in Figs. 6 and 7j the lug 'Iller is shown at 180 displacement there-A from, at the bottom, and correspondingly, the lug 69a of the clutch 68a is shown at the top, or 180 displaced from its position in Figs. 6 and 7. The shifting of the positions of the lugs 69a and 'Ianthrough 180V has no effect upon the functioning of the parts .of the machine and therefore can be ignored' Althoughthe eccentric gears |45 and |41 Vhave an average speed ratio of one-to-orie,. the actualspeedratio'be-- tween the gearsa at different timesfshifts back and forth fromcne-to-tvvoto two-.to-one.. And. by having the eccentric gears, arranged as shown inFigsjSand 9, the lugsliiic andIa are brought,Y

into clutching engagement when the gear IU isv moviigfat -its'slowst speed, in other `words when the .ratio of speedsbetween the shafts 4 8 d .5| iS 11 t04tv0tthtme Qf .engagmeoi of 'lugstafarid 19a, thus producing minimun; shock from engagement of the lugs .68a and 19o. And when the `gears [4 5 I4] have rotated through '180'.D to their position as shown in Eigg. s 'and .ejtheeear .ser .will niente movirises twice .the 'speedmof the gear |45, and lslice ,this is'the Yposition at which cutting occurs, it means that the'l'owe'r cutter' movesto Yand from out ting-position at relatively'high speed, which an advantage. 'The invention may loe carried out in other specic Ways than those herein set forth without departing fromr the 'spirit and essential characteristics of Vthe invention, and the present enibodment's are, therefore, to be considered in all 20 respects 'as illustrative'aid not restrictive, and ali changesA coming within thek meaningv and equivc-- lency r'ang'e'of the'appended o lairnsare intended .tobeemlofraced therein. 4 v

I clarin: j Yflying cutting device comprising: cutter.-

` means ii'icludingV two complemental'cutters, and tivo cutterdrive-shaft's, one for driving each cutter; Vfeed-means vfor feeding stock to he cut, to said' .cutters`;` adjustable first gearingrmcan adapted to interconnect saidfeed-means one of said cutter drivelshafts, and` adapted to be yadjusted to'vary the relative speeds-of said feed-means aud` said one cutter drive-shaft; second Vgeari'ngmear'isA including clutchfmeans, adapted to interconnect i said two cutter drive,- shafts and adapted to cause said one cutter drive-A shaftv to Vdrive the other cutter drive-shaft so that Sad Cutters move if@ slitting pQSitiOn t0, ce@ stock being fed; and presettalole clutch-actuat- 40 ing'means adapted to automatically ac tiiate said clutch-means to periodically unclutch iti-rom driving Arelation with oneof said cutter drive;` shafts to cause one cutter to be non-driven and out of Vcutting position when thev other cutter moves to cutting position, to cause a nocut and adapted to automatically actuate said clutclfi-l means .bar/k@ i0 clutched position. periodically t9. cause 'said one @utter to. more to, Cutting msi.-A tCn' When the other Gutter moves, to. cutting por sition,to again cut stock. being fed'. i 12- A yg. Cutting devi@ Comprising-1 cutter, means including two. complemental cutters, and; two Y'cutterdrive-shafts,v one for driving ca clglV Glitter; fd--ffahsf ier feefiig. Stock, t@ be cui'. to said k"cuttersj adjustable rst gearingfmeags adapted t@ intelfoneeet Said; feed-means. andy one of"said 'cutter drive-shafts, andadaptedjto .bee adjusted to vary the relative. speeds ofsaid festif4 meansand said o ne'cutter driveshaft;v secondco. gearing-means i1ll1ding clutch-means, adapted to interconnect said tvvoI cutter drive-,shafts and adapted to cause said onel cutter drive-shaft to, drive, the other. cutter vdriile-shaft so thaty ,said cutters move to cutting position to c ut stock;

7 0` means. to periodically unclutch it from, driving,

:being fed, the speeds or the` cycles of moy/ef. ment of said l cutters having a .one-to-,one speed; ratio when said clutch-means is'in clutched por. sition; and pre-,settable clutch-actuating, means; adapted to automatica11y-acruare ,seid durch?.

rliiill' with. Olie., Qi said; Gutter, drive-.Shafts te'. @avec Qn Gutter te. be non-driven and, out. of; cutting, position4 when, the. other.. cutter,- moms.

back to clutched position periodically to cause said one cutter to move to cutting position when the other cutter moves to cutting position, to again cut stock being fed.

3. A flying cutting device comprising: cutter- Y clutchable to and unclutchable from said gear,

adapted to interconnect said two cutter driveshafts and adapted to cause said one cutter driveshaft to drive the other cutter drive-shaft so that said cutters move to cutting position to cut stock being fed, the speed of rotation of said gear in at least part of its rotation being substantially slower than the speed of rotation of said one cut-A ter drive-shaft; and pre-settable clutch-actuating means adapted to automatically actuate said clutch-means to periodically unclutch it from riving relation with said gear to cause one cutter to be non-driven and out of cutting position when the other cutter moves to cutting position, to cause a no-cut, and adapted to automatically actuate said clutch-means back to clutched position periodically at a time when said gear is rotating substantially slower than said one cutter drive-shaft to cause said one cutter to move to cutting position when the other cutter moves to cutting position, to again cut stock being fed.

fi. A flying cutting device comprising: cuttermeans including two complemental cutters, and two cutter drive-shafts, one for driving each cutter; feed-means for feeding stock to be cut, to said cutters; adjustable first gearing-means adapted to interconnect said feed-means and one of said cutter drive-shafts, and adapted to be adjusted to vary the relative speeds of said feedmeans and said one cutter drive-shaft; second gearing-means including an eccentric-gear having a variable speed of rotation and clutchmeans clutchable to and unclutchable from said eccentric-gear, adapted to interconnect said two cutter drive-shafts and Yadapted to cause said one cutter drive-shaft to drive the other cutter drive-shaft so that said cutters-move to cutting position to cutstock being fed; and pre-settable clutch-actuating means adapted to automatically actuate said clutch-means to periodically unclutch it from driving relation with said eccentric-gear to cause one cutter to be non-driven and out of cutting position when the other cutter moves to cutting position, to cause a no-cut, and adapted to automatically actuate said clutchmeans back to clutched position periodically at a time when said eccentric-gear is rotating relatively slowly to cause said one cutter to move to cutting position when the other cutter moves to l justed to vary the relative speeds of said feedmeans and said one cutter drive-shaft; second gearing-means including rst clutch-means, adapted to interconnect said two cutter driveshafts and adapted to cause said one cutter driveshaft to drive the other cutter drive-shaft so Y that said cutters move to cutting position to cut stock being fed; pre-settable clutch-actuating means adapted to automatically actuate said rst clutch-means to periodically unclutch it from driving relation with one of said cutter drive-shafts to cause one cutter tobe non-driven and out of cutting position when the other cutter moves to cutting position,V to cause a no-cut, and

adapted to automatically actuate said first;Y

clutch-means back to clutched position periodically to cause said one cutter to move to cutting position when the other cutter moves to cutting position, to again cut stock being fed; and third gearing-means including second clutch-means, adapted to interconnect said two cutter driveshafts when said first clutch-means is unclutched and adapted to cause said one cutter drive-shaft to drive the other cutter drive-shaft at different speed from that at which it is driven by said second gearing-means, and the relative speeds of the two cutter drive-shafts when said second clutch-means is in clutched position being such as to cause the cutters to periodically move to cutting position to cut stock being fed.`

6. A flying cutting device comprising: cuttermeans including two complemental cutters, and two cutter'drive-shafts, one for driving each cutter; feed-means for feeding stock to be out, to said cutters; adjustable iirst gearing-means adapted to interconnect said feed-means and one of said cutter drive-shafts, and adapted to be adjusted to vary the relative speeds of said feed- Vmeans and said one cutter drive-shaft; second other cutter drive-shaft being half the speed of rotation of said one cutter drive-shaft so that said cutters cut stock being fed, only at each alternate rotation of said one cutter drive-shaft while said drive-shafts continuously rotate, to cause a miscut between each two cuts; pre-settable clutch-actuating means adapted to automatically actuate said clutch-means to periodcally unclutch it from driving relation with said gear to cause one cutter to be non-driven and out of cutting position When the other cutter moves to cutting position and when said one cutter would otherwise have been in cutting position, to cause a no-cut, and adapted to automatically actuate said clutch-means back to clutched position periodically to cause said one cutter to move to cutting position when the other cutter moves to cutting position, to again cut stock being fed; and third gearing-means including second K clutch-means, adapted to interconnect said two cutter drive-shafts when said first clutch-means is unclutched and adapted to cause said driveshafts to rotate at one-to-one speed ratio so that said cutters cut stock being fed, at each rotation of said drive-shafts. Y

KARL W. HALLDEN. 

